Lot 3191

Description

Italy, Lucania, Sybaris, (c.530-510 B.C.), silver stater, (7.874 grams), obv. bull standing to left, looking back, VM above, rev. bull in incuse, standing to right, looking back; no legend, (S.245, SNG Cop. 1390, SNG ANS 817-827, HN 1729). Very fine/ good very fine and rare.

The lot comes with a ticket indicating purchase from CNG. Sybaris the city was founded by the Achaeans about 720 B.C. It was the richest and most important of the Greek colonies in Italy until its destruction by Croton in 510 B.C. The city was rebuilt in 453 B.C. with the aid of the Poseidonians but was again destroyed five years later by Croton. In 443 B.C. with the help of the Athenians the city arose again but its name was now changed to Thurium. This later city survived into Roman times and became a Roman city with its name changed to Copia. Today the archaeological ruins of all three different named cites can be seen by the interested tourist, each city's remains on top of each other.